CNN: Ning – The future of online social networking?

I’m a big fan of Ning.com as a customizable social networking platform to build a community around a specific interest or cause. CNN recently interviewed Ning CEO Gina Bianchini about the future of social networking. Following is an excerpt from that interview:

CNN: What makes Ning different from other social-networking sites?

Bianchini: It’s focused on providing the [means for] people to create new social networks around their interests and passions and connect new people around those passions. We think that’s a very critical element of organization. The Facebook phenomenon connects you to people you already know and Twitter is amazing for news and real-time events. What we see with people who gravitate to Ning is meeting new people with similar interests.

CNN: How can Ning be useful to organizations or corporations?

Bianchini: When you can bring people together around a common cause there is incredible potential to do fundraising and to organize volunteers.

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